Locked
by rostenbr88
Summary: Donna Noble and the tenth Doctor uncover a secret about a planet that shouldn't be in the sky.
1. Prologue

A quiet life. Just what the doctor ordered, thought the Doctor. Nothing to do but just listen to the crinkling and sliding of pages and creaking of book spines, that sort of thing. Simply marvelous, that was. Landing on a Sunday was sharp thinking furthermore, should lead to a calm affair all around. Silent enough to get a lot of reading done. The TARDIS library hadn't taken long to fill. Many books were already stored inside, but even so, the Doctor went to the trouble of adding another wing just to sport many of the native Earth texts he particularly favored. Adding space to the TARDIS was a bit like asking a Sontaran general to try and be more aggressive. There just isn't a whole lot of space left for this sort of thing, but extra library wings are always important.

The Doctor had finished his read through of Sense and Sensibility again (loves the book; wishes Austen would have kept in the dueling scene between Willoughby and the Colonel) and had just sat down with his copy of Oh the Places You'll Go! Much more complex and time consuming document. While opening the cover, he noticed that someone was sitting next to him. Before he could register who it was, he took a few milliseconds to ponder why he even had two chairs near one another in his library. The answer was depressing.

"Hello" said the Doctor. "It's good to see you again. Odd to see you here, honestly, but still." He paused for effect. "Not unwelcome, you are. I don't get a lot of visitors unannounced. Come to think, I don't have a lot of visitors. Most people usually run into the TARDIS screaming for their lives, so things like offering guests a drink and making sure they're relaxed is not exactly second nature."

Rambling, in the Doctor's mind, seemed a good way to avoid the conversation he knew they'd be having in a moment. "Like a drink? Does your kind drink? I'm afraid I've never seen your mouths" the Doctor probed awkwardly, wondering whether it was rude to ask. "Here for a quick kip perhaps? I don't have many beds. Don't sleep much myself. Not sure if your kind sleep either. I should probably add more books about you to my library, though I don't know where we'd find the space…" The person near him used the small pause to commence his side of the conversation.

"Begging your pardon, we must discuss your song. It is soon ending. It would be preferable for you to be ready promptly. You will soon be summoned" greeted Ood Sigma.

"Sorry darling. I'm on call ain't I?" argued Mickey. "If it wasn't important, they wouldn't contact me. Especially not now. I don't even know how many people are downtown at the moment. Quick knock in and I'll be right back to -"

"But you promised," interrupted Martha Smith. "You promised Christmas Eve was a special day. 'A solemn night which I will hold dear and treat you like the Queen herself then' were, I believe, your exact words. You and me, we've been on so many separate assignments lately. I haven't got to talk with you like this in ages. It's nice Mickey! Why can't you send Private Crem?"

"What, just tell Private Crem to go? You don't think he's with his family as well do ya?" asked Mickey.

"No. He lives alone, and his mother can spare him a few hours. Private Crem adores you and you know he'd go. Loves following orders, Private Crem does. We need this time together, love. I miss you. I do." Martha pleaded.

"I'll be back at the flat in a jiff. Love you," urged Mickey.

"Love you too," sighed Martha.

Mickey gave Martha a kiss on the head and a gentle pat on the navel, and promptly left the pub. Martha was starting to wonder whether she and her husband should continue to work for U.N.I.T. The ongoing stress was starting to make her feel queasy at times. Mickey and Martha had decided long ago that the safety of the Universe was their top priority, above any personal needs. She was starting to wonder, though, if more pressing circumstances were on the horizon, whether the holding together the fabric of time and space was truly their highest priority. Others things were proving more difficult to hold together of late.

As Martha sank deeper into thought, something odd pulled her out of her trance. A pudgy woman, late twenties, with a black felt cap and matching string tie had abruptly sat down across the table where Mickey had just vacated. The woman seemed to be waiting for a sign that she was noticed. Not to be phased or caught off guard, Martha took a strategic bite of her chips and simply stared at her once the woman caught her full eye, as if Martha had simply been surveying the room and had finally given this person her attention. Once the woman's presence had been acknowledged, she did not hesitate to begin.

"Have you seen this being?" the woman inquired. Martha recognized the picture at once. It gave her a bit of a squirm in her abdomen.

"Hi. My name's Leah, by the way. Nice to meet you too, but I'm not interested in making new friends this evening. Merry Christmas all the same though." Martha replied politely, lifting her basket of chips, hoping the woman would simply leave.

"Have you seen this being?" the woman repeated.

"Never," responded Martha. "Good bye," she added with more bite.

"Not laid eyes upon him before this moment? Not one time? In this life or possible past lives then?" the pudgy woman continued to pry. Irritated, but not wanting to show any emotion, Martha gave an answer.

"Not that it's any of your business, but no. Never. And if I may be so incredulous, as you seem prone, your methods for locating individuals are a tad inefficient, aren't they? Big city, small pub, this is." After Martha offered this opinion, the woman stared, in the same hard but blank manner Martha had employed. Martha's years in U.N.I.T. had taught her that the more trained in staring like this a person was, the more annoying their answers would be.

"You're lying"

"About your census strategy or my acquaintances?"

"I'm trying to find the Doctor to offer him something he values dearly. A chance he's never dared dream but is now within his grasp. This would make him happy and bring him peace. If you'd like to deny him this to the Doctor because you were too stubborn and arrogant about your transcendent abilities in being coy, that's fine. Stop talking. But don't lie. It's not honorable. Or nice, for that matter."

Martha considered this. The pudgy woman had used his name twice.

"I don't know where he is, and I've destroyed any methods of contacting him in the indefinite past and future for his own safety. I won't divulge manners of relationships or duration of time spent together. Don't dare be daft enough to ask about any emotional garbage. All I'll tell you is yes, we've met." Martha paused. "And your hat looks smashing. Now, Happy Chanukah, cheers, adios, and for the sake of thoroughness, please leave."

The woman left with. Martha continued to meditate on more important items.

"You're an odd Ood, you know that?" The Doctor had been waiting for years to use that one.

"You have little time left. Your song is ending." Ood Sigma repeated.

"As you've said. About 3 times now. Let me ask you, if you say that phrase again a 4th time, will I buy the farm right here on my floor, or will things be a bit more formal?" The Doctor's patience was beginning to wane. "I've got quite a lump of Sunday reading to do, so if that's all then," he added.

"Begging your pardon, but it is not I who must act, or 'wrap up' as you phrased it. You must ready your affairs to take the next step. You will soon be summoned before the Elder. When you are summoned, it is vital for the safety of many beside yourself that you do not delay," The Ood summarized.

"Well," The Doctor prolonged, his tone becoming more formidable, "In that case, I suppose I'd better write a will. Do I need an executor for my will or shall one be assigned? Unfortunately I've no next of kin, as they've all been blown apart by the Dalek Empire in the Great Time War. I'm afraid my eulogy will be a bit long. I've accomplished a vast many things, you see. Oh, and there may be political ramifications, as I've married into the nobility of a small island kingdom back on planet Earth. You may have heard of a cramped country called Britain, perhaps?" The Doctor's voice became sharper with each word. The blank expression of the Ood leader only made the Gallifrean edgier. "If it's all the same to you, my song will end when the fat lady sings," he ceased.

"Sir, if I may offer, it is worth noting that often, we sentients believe to be fighting other sentients when incensed. In actuality, for the better part of our time in the Universe, we are simply fighting ourselves." He eyed the Doctor.

Turning his head slightly, he added, "Perhaps instead of Geisel, Nietzsche would be preferable. He once said, or considering our current position, will come to say, 'The end of a melody is not its goal: but nonetheless, had the melody not reached its end it would not have reached its goal either. A parable.' Oh, Doctor. The places you will soon go. Do not your allow parable to become a cautionary one."

The skinny girl who'd been arguing with her husband left soon after their conversation. She'd been small help, but had at least admitted to knowing the Doctor. Undoubtedly she'd traveled with him in the past. Or future, depending on when Jane returned to her station on Urej.

If one only searched for people by looking in two, or even three dimensions, finding someone or their acquaintances was a difficult job that involved the need of many tools and tricks. Martha Smith had been on point about that. However, searching in 4 dimensions made things very simple indeed. Luckily, Martha had given Jane only what she required: verification that she was one of the many companions of the Doctor's current face.

Jane saw the girl whom she'd been informed was named Donna Noble sitting at a table with friends. At least according to the descriptions within the code, her profile matched. The table Donna sat at was only 3 away from where Martha and Mickey Smith had been sitting. Inefficient indeed.

Jane went up to Donna. "Excuse me," Jane breathed. Donna was more likely to give information to a kind and sincere person. Martha had a flaw for seeing kindness occasionally as weakness. Donna was just the opposite. She was too nice. And she'd be all too willing to give Jane the information she needed now that she'd had a few drinks. A trained spy Ms. Noble was not. "Have you seen this being? We've been looking for a few weeks now, and we'll have to end our search soon if we don't get any more leads…" Donna did not look at the picture yet.

"You're looking for a being? A _being_? Tell you what, then, you're _being_ a bit rude right now, interrupting our party." Donna giggled, and then sighed. She gave Jane a second glance and her expression seemed a tad less hard. There was always the kindness hidden underneath the cheek, according to the profile. "Let me see the picture more closely then," Donna waved her hands toward her person. Donna observed. Donna's face went pale. Donna bore the appearance of sobering. Donna stared. She stared some more. Then Donna fainted.

Jane tried to recall what her notes said to do if someone fainted. Jane hoped that after this ordeal was finished, the other working class girl had stronger nerves.


	2. Chapter 1

"Ah yes!" The Doctor began, turning the last dial on the TARDIS console as he and Ms. Noble landed.

"Jo Do! The home planet of the Judoon. Terrifying race, really, the Judoon. Police of the Universe. Enforcers of the Shadow Proclamation. Brash, quick to judge, and merciless in their execution of consequence, they are. Can run after criminals for very long intervals. Planet has an atmosphere so oxygen rich its inhabitants just need great big lungs, without much to speak for in the way of a circulatory system. Wonderful anatomy, uncomplicated, big and easy to see. Organs and vessels have this tough, pocked exterior that's easy to grasp with forceps, it's no wonder the Judoon body is the first one you study in the Medical Academy of the Sisters of Plentitude. Intriguing, eh? Eh? Donna?" The Doctor was brimming with excitement at each word, hoping Donna's reaction would carry the same wonderment.

"Sorry, were you blathering to me in particular?" Donna inquired, still wandering around the console, "Last time I checked, I said 'Doctor, I'd love a relaxing holiday on a planet with an ocean so big it's made of islands.' So, why we're here is beyond me and my tiny human brain. 'Course, you could try and cram all this Time Lord fuss into my head but I'm worried it won't all fit," said Donna, sounding less than impressed.

"Donna…"

"Right, oxygen rich, big lungs, great churlish Judoon running about. I suppose next you'll go on about the iron levels in their bloodstream or some other useless information," guessed Donna.

"Actually yeah. They've yellow blood, you see."

"Yellow?"

"Yellow."

"Not green or purple or blue? Yellow's a bit boring for blood, isn't it?"

"That's the color your blood would be if it didn't have as much iron in it. However," the Doctor said, sauntering over to the door so Donna could soon breath in some thick and refreshing Jo Do air, "since the big blue ball you call home only has a mere 21% oxygen level in the atmosphere, your blood cells need a large iron atom in your hemoglobin to latch onto oxygen your lungs push into your single heart ferrying torsos! And by the way," he added, "That 'useless information' on biology always seems to serendipitously come in handy later on our adventures. You ever noticed that?"

"Well," Donna quipped, "If you Time Lord lot are so special and clairvoyant, how much oxygen you all enjoy on Gallifrey, then?"

The Doctor's continued to smile, opened the door, and replied, "Time Lord brain requires a bit more than oxygen to keep it running. Our blood's orange. We don't worry about oxygen levels as much as we do radiation levels. Gotta soak up as much gamma as one can afford!"

Donna sighed, and looked out of the modest TARDIS door and into a great expansive coast line. It had to be, without a doubt, the ugliest beach she'd ever seen. Grey sand underscored a magnificently grey ocean, all bathing in the sharp light of a putrid grey sky. As she stepped out onto the stone pathway the ship had landed on, she noticed the tall black columns out of focus in the distance, roughly a few hundred meters away, possibly a kilometer or two, on either side of the sea. She checked round the back of the TARDIS, and sure enough tall black towers loomed large all over. Donna sensed this communicated the Judoon's wishes for visits to their planet by foreigners to be short.

"So, funny lit git you are. Thought you'd be deft and bring me to the most somber seacoast you could find, eh? Well, I suppose I'll have to enjoy myself despite your best efforts then, skipper," Donna said as she half saluted. She tried not to smile as she continued to collect thoughts and observations on her surroundings.

"Right then," The Doctor began, "tell you what, before we break out one of those big inflatable balls that all humans seem to have and yet no one actually has ever witnessed a person play with, I'd like to survey a sight I've never gotten to lay eyes on."

"Dare I ask?" asked Donna.

"A Judoon training facility. Tricky range to gain access to, Judoon facilities. Big on rule following. The Judoon code of ethics is printed on the gateway to every building here. Can you make it out then, Donna? Over there, 10 meters up on the closet ship."

"These are ships? Not buildings?"

"Judoon use their buildings as ships. They travel all over the Universe and have almost no art, cuisine, or architecture to call their own. There is one building that's not a ship on this planet. The structure itself is as large as Sussex, and is entirely constructed of marble. It's their courthouse. Bu what's that writing over there say? It's important."

Donna squinted at one of the ships. "Justice above all else."

"In the Judoon tounge, 'Jo So Pro No Vo To'. I wondered whether you'd see English or Judoon. Curious thing, Donna. The TARDIS has a middling number of languages it can't or won't translate through its matrix. Judoon is one, under articles within the Shadow Proclamation, ever since the Judoon began working for them. We must have landed at a time before that contract was initiated. That, or all is horribly askew and we're in mortal danger." Donna looked over at him, and he got the distinct impression he didn't need a mind meld to know what she was thinking. "Well, I suppose, if we are killed or mutilated in anyway, I owe you a funnel cake."

Donna continued to pierce his gaze. "I do enjoy funnel cake. Not before the Ferris wheel though. My stomach doesn't get on with heights."

"Noted." The Doctor smiled, and lingered in thought, calculating options in his brain as he began to walk.

Donna and the Doctor walked on toward a small black tower that seemed to have large mounts coming out of the base to latch into the sandy ground beneath. Moving toward the colossal black mass was unnerving. No souls went in or out of the any of the black towers. In fact the planet seemed deserted for the most part.

Suddenly, what looked like disproportioned motor bikers jogged out of the smaller black cylinder that the Doctor and Donna had been migrating toward. The legs, arms, and torsos of the Judoon seemed similar to a human or Time Lord in size and scheme, but their heads struck Donna as a few sizes too large. The men (assuming they were males) formed a rigidly straight line as they moved. What was most likely their commanding officer rode out behind them on a four wheeled chopper.

"What's this training got to do with 'Justice above all else'? Did you bring me a planet gearing up for war? That's barbaric and irresponsible, so I suppose I wouldn't put it past you, really," posited Donna.

"Judoon prioritize the law. Nothing is as important as the law. Civilian rights, hygiene, culture, biological needs, religion. The law comes at the forefront of concern. Take their training seriously, the Judoon. Willing to sacrifice anything at this point in their history to become the enforcers of the upcoming Shadow Proclamation. You wanna make a Judoon irate, poke their ears or make funny faces at them. You want a Judoon to stop caring about your right to exist, break the law."

"No wonder their courthouse is so big. Must arrest all sorts every day. What if I J-walk?" Donna asked as they continued walking, unnoticed by the scurrying platoon.

"They will arrest you, sentence you, and execute the sentence on the spot, usually death by heat ray."

Donna looked taken aback. "What's the bloody point of having a massive courthouse if the Judoon just polish you off you immediately in the naked daylight?"

"Ah, well yes, precisely. Problem is, Judoon are mercenaries. Jo Do citizens don't break laws. Only a Judoon would want to live here, and they all are in agreement, any action from misdemeanor to felony ought to gain a one way ticket to the River Styx. The courthouse was developed early, right after they achieved space and time travel. Some planets don't use the death penalty, so some governments, very few mind, that purchase Judoon help request prisoners be taken alive," he explained.

"Why don't they just take them back to the planet's prison?" asked Donna.

"When a prisoner escapes, oftentimes in our Universe, large chunks of the prison go with them. Have to hold the prisoner until the prison is fixed. Costs extra."

"Why call it a courthouse if it's really just a holding tank?" asked Donna.

"Well, to these people, the ultimate form of justice is a criminal awaiting his sentencing. S'really just lost in translation here, the term _courthouse_ is."

The conversation ended with the two of them reaching the small black tower, the sand becoming more like gravel now and the Jo Do sky showing no signs of changing color soon. The Doctor squinted at a small dot up the sky. It looked green to him, and would have lingered on its presence if he hadn't finally finished his calculations in his head. The Doctor had read up on Judoon law many lives ago, and they hadn't broken any yet. It was critical to follow the letter of strict code whilst observing the training facility. He thought Donna ought to know what she was about to be party to.

"Donna," he began, as Donna turned away from the immense tower to his thoughtful gaze. His voice became quiet. "Up until now, we haven't undertaken anything inappropriate, according to the law of this planet. However, to observe the facility, we'll either have to sneak in, or lie. No way round it. I've been working it out in my head the last couple of minutes. So, if you want to go back to the TARDIS, grab a rest, and let me muck about 'till I've had my fill, this is your chance." He looked over at her, trying to use his sharp face to covey the brevity of the situation.

Donna considered, gaped at him for a small moment, then pulled herself erect. "Right then. On we go. S'not the beach, but life's too short, isn't it?" She smirked.

"Most are." He turned his attention back the facility.

The Doctor pulled out his sonic and pointed it at a control screen, about the size of an adult's palm, planted chest level toward the side of the lofty ship doors. The Doctor screwed up his face in consternation for a stage, holding his screwdriver at different angles, testing various frequencies. The panel emitted the faintest of sparks, then loud sparks, then a quiet beeping expelled from a speaker above the door. The Doctor, looking harried, turned the sound off at once, and then looked over at Donna. "Lying it is then!" he exclaimed with a maniacal smile.

A Judoon, larger than any the pair had witnessed previously erupted from a latch about 5 meters above the gigantic doorway. With a grace that surprised Donna, he landed and rolled softly on the ground. He then sprang up, brandishing his rifle at the travelers. The officer did not have a helmet. Donna saw the rhinoceros-like features of his head, but with key differences. The eyes were larger and pupiled. The irises were red. The skin was not leathery but seemed coated in mucus. He was pale and ragged. The tusks were smaller compared with a native Earth rhino. His voice was gravelly and monotone when he spoke.

"Charge: breaching security in unauthorized sector. Sentence: execution."

The rifle began to whirl as he steadied it onto Donna's torso.

"Stand down!" screamed the Doctor as he swung forward his psychic paper. His brow had accumulated sweat before the Judoon guard grabbed the paper and considered. The officer snatched the paper, and the Doctor backed away even more. He slowly, without detection, moved between Donna and the heat ray. It took little time for a conclusion to be drawn by the creature.

"Psychic paper. Status: outlawed in 7 adjoining regions. Charge: possession of banned manipulative. Sentence: execution."

The Doctor suddenly became focused and furious simultaneously. His pupils dilated and his brow raised. "Request stay of execution of judgment by order of article 7, sections 1, 2, and 3 of the Council of Mathis Justice Tribunal Alpha!" The Doctor cried.

The rhino pondered the request. "Appeal process granted. 80 seconds allowed to state argument. Commence appeal." The gun was still pointed at Donna.

"Doctor, what if he denies the appeal!? Does this pachyderm decide the appeal process on his own?!" Donna's voice suddenly became deep and violent. "I'm not being death-rayed to death because some red eyed flatfoot can't understand nuance!"

"Donna, please, I need to think. Wait, death-rayed to death…"

"No, No! I got this one," Donna embarked treacherously, "Listen here, suit! I don't know if you know who we are, but we have that psychic paper because we're, uh, here under protective services. We've been exiled from the planet, er, Messalie! Because we refused to participate in their religious ceremonies, and fled for our expressive freedoms," lied Donna, as the Doctor looked both confused and bewildered. "So if you'd like to murder a couple of refugees, well then, carry on big boy! But if you'd like to use that big ugly brain of yours and think about war, peace, and politics, you may find it prudent to keep us alive." Donna knew this was a weak argument and began to wonder, fleetingly, what heaven was like.

"Permission to speak." The sudden noise of a new voice startled all three of them. It came from the outskirts of the building, as if the new Judoon that arrived had been patrolling. If a Judoon had the ability to glare, then the rhino pointing his heat ray between Donna's eyes glared at the newcomer. The first officer hesitated.

"Granted."

"Refugees' motivations must be questioned. It is procedure," noted the new Judoon. Donna noticed, even amidst the intense fear of the moment, that the second rhino's eyes were a shade different than the first officer's. The first one, who had the ray aimed, grunted and then spoke.

"Why break into Judoon training ship?" he hoarsely petitioned the pair. Donna responded quickly, before the Doctor could answer.

"To seek asylum. It was the smallest ship, or building, or whatever, we saw, so we thought it would have the least weaponry and defenses. We needed, some, um…" Donna was struggling to continue the made up story.

"We needed a place to rest, and sleep." The Doctor added calmly. All of a sudden, the first Judoon stood down at this request.

"Appeal granted upon verification." Donna breathed easier. He scanned their faces with a new device he replaced his gun with. This shook Donna a bit but she was relieved all the same, though was confused about what it was exactly they'd said. The Doctor did not look as relieved, but concerned. When he finished, the rhino looked at his counterpart with disgust, and spoke once more, first to Donna.

"DNA: human. Presence at Messaline: verified. Appeal: granted. You have been catalogued in Jo Do data system as refugee. Subject to all laws of Judoon race under our jurisdiction." He turned to the Doctor. "DNA: manipulated by time vortex. Presently un-deciphered. Presence at Messaline: verified. Appeal: granted, upon submission of blood sample for catalogue." He pointed the scanner at the Doctor's leg and clicked.

The Doctor bent over in pain for a moment and yelled unintelligibly. Both Judoon seemed unmoved by the display. No liquids had been revealed, as far as Donna's senses could detect.

"Seventy seven hours to find new refuge. Asylum on JoDo a foolish decision. Make wise choices in the future. Refusal to leave in time alloted results in execution." The red-eyed Judoon opened the large chamber door and walked through, turned around and before leaving their presence added begrudgingly, "Enjoy stay."


	3. Chapter 2

"They are required to grant rest for refugees if the refugees specifically request it. For the duration of one day, which on Jo Do is precisely 77 hours. Part of the law of this starsector. Come to recall, the Judoon tried to jettison their planet away from this cluster of stars just to avoid enforcing that law. They're not what one would call an accommodating race."

"I don't understand," began Donna, "Humans, Time Lords, Silurians, all these species evolved independent of one another. And we all develop great and wonderful civilizations with stories and buildings and aqueducts and books and sculptures. Then you've got Sontarans and now bloody Judoon, who I assume also evolved in a similar manner to us, and all they care about is how many things they can kill before tea time, with no art or culture to speak of," extolled Donna.

"Well, Judoon have a bit of a history and culture in that regard. However, right now, someone is politely listening," said the Doctor, as he nodded over to the being still standing a few meters away, staring at the pair of supposed refugees. The Doctor stuck out a hand. "Hello there. I'm the Doctor. This is Donna. Much gratitude for saving our necks. You were impartial and fair, and it's much appreciated."

"Appreciation unnecessary. Foolish to visit planet. Jo Do not haven for aliens. Explain your reasoning," ordered the Judoon, not taking the Time Lord's hand.

"Well, man of your station ought to have sized us up then, yes?" The Doctor' eyes narrowed, looking through the officer to weasel out the rhino's background. He placed his hands in his pants pockets. "The Judoon officer, rather hulky if I may add, took leave after you showed up and gave him what for! You must be high ranking, or at least carry the Judoon equivalent of cache in some manner, I'd gather." The Doctor smiled and waited for an answer.

"My station is irrelevant, state your purpose on Jo Do."

"You had a genuine interest in us, you did," the Doctor continued, unfazed. "You could have let him kill us. He was well within reason to. Asking for rest like I did was a loophole. He had us dead to rights, and a smart man like you knew this. Now, we could talk about why we want rest on Jo Do or our DNA or Messaline. Or," The Doctor drew out the word to make his point as his voice got lower and raspier, "we could discuss your mistrust in your fellow officer. I mean, s'not normal behavior for a Judoon, is it?" The Doctor narrowed his eyes.

"Trust is irrelevant. Justice is the only virtue needed on Jo Do," the officer insisted. "State your purpose."

"No. I don't have to." The Doctor argued as he wandered in circles around the Judoon in the gravelly entrance to the facility. "Just like you don't have to tell us why you're patrolling an area that has some of the best surveillance cameras in the universe mounted atop each and every vessel planted in the ground." He motioned upward to acknowledge the camera's presence. "S'not necessary. But I won't mention your motives, if you don't question mine." The Doctor offered, barely in a whisper. His eyes bore into the purple eyes of the smaller Judoon. The rhino essayed a tough but unconvincing glare in response. He said nothing.

"77 hours. Could leave now," suggested the Doctor, rubbing his hands together, nervous and excited, "but I'd like to see the facility. If I've an escort, I think it wouldn't be breaking any rules then?" The Doctor waited. The officer hesitated, and looked to be thinking.

"Follow." The Judoon headed toward the front gate slowly and stiffly.

"Wait!" exclaimed Donna. "What's your name?" She looked at the incredulous look of the Doctor. "He did save our lives, as you pointed out. So what if he's a bit gruff? Be civil, smile, and enjoy the fact that this lad's giving you what you want. A proper little tour." Donna smirked.

"Name: So To. Rank: Special Corporal Overseeing Academy. Status: Off Duty."

"Hang on. Corporal?" The Doctor queried.

"Affirmative."

"And off duty, but patrolling in the meantime?"

"Affirmative."

"When's duty begin then?" asked the Doctor.

"Indefinitely." So To answered in that low, grainy voice.

"I was afraid of that answer. Corporal, have you been on guard duty for the last half year?"

"Affirmative."

"And you were sent off duty a few days ago then, yes? Without an explanation for either event. Only moved to Corporal status, never promoted again, despite a clear understanding of the law and procedures, and looking by your age, you should be a Lieutenant by now. Blimey, if not close to Colonel." He paused, and picked up again. "Knocked down to guard duty even though you lot have got cameras everywhere. Asked to stop doing the only thing you've been taught is important from the time you were in tiny Judoon diapers, and no reason afforded for your predicament? Is that spot on or am I missing something?"

"Also…" The Judoon stopped and looked at the ground, for just a brief instant. "Also relieved of neural relay communicator and primary weapon pack." His rough voice became hushed.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." The Doctor's face had slackened, his brow open and his lips frowning, he walked slowly toward the Corporal and put a hand on So To's shoulder as he spoke. "I can't help you. We have to leave. Come, fellow refugee." He waved to Donna. Donna did not move.

"What d'ya mean can't help him?" Donna asked with forehead creased.

"It's nothing. We have to go. I've changed my mind about my tour, Donna. I don't need it anymore."

"No. Why can't we help?" Donna felt uneasy.

"Donna, we can't. And explaining it all now would be dangerous to say the least," the Doctor explained, his shoulders trying to move toward his ship. He wanted to get moving, fast. The sun was starting to go down, which ironically enough on Jo Do meant the clouds cleared and the stars came out. The little green light that bothered him became more pronounced. Possibly a bad sign.

"Fine. You go. I'll stay here. I told you I'm going to a beach. after all. I'll just take a night stroll with pretty boy over here. He's an off duty cop, after all," Donna concluded hesitantly.

The Doctor stared at Donna with marked distress. He pleaded with her using his still features. It did not work. He heaved a mighty sigh. "This is the family in Pompeii all over again. Right. So To, if I'm going to help you I'll be needing some information. Up in the sky there is something amiss, can you tell me ab-"

He was cut off by the Corporal. "I do not require assistance. Not a refugee."

"Neither are we. But since you only have a secondary firearm and I have a gigantic, cataclysmic brain, I'm in charge." The Doctor said, voice rising, "Now, the sky. Look u-"

He was interrupted a second time. "I do not require assistance. The law is on my side."

"Your people are about to publish an edict, seen only by the high officers in the Jo Do army, which states the intent that all Judoon with purple eyes are to be exterminated! All! This is how it starts! I can't stand this planet! Don't know why I had the urge to come here!" He stared at both of them. Donna appeared frightened.

"You've known they've been targeting you for half a year now." He added quietly.

"Law is order. Law…Law is…is justice. The only answer to ambiguity of existence, is to follow the law." The Judoon was starting to lose composer, as much as his stony, angry face would allow.

The Doctor rounded on Donna. He bore into her with his stare, mouth gaping as if begging her to aid. She in turn rounded on So To.

"Our ship, offers you a resting place, if you wish to ask for it specifically," Donna submitted shakily.

The Doctor added, "On the condition of answering any and all of my questions. I can answer yours as well. You know I'm right, So To. Deep down in your heart, however callous you may feel ethically, you know this is not a safe place for you anymore. If you didn't have an inkling, you wouldn't have challenged your commanding officer earlier. Ruddy suicide that was. That's probably why he didn't resist you, because he knows what's coming." The Doctor began stepping back to the TARDIS' direction.

"Either way, come with us, and live to abide by laws more just than the misguided ones here. In this time of Judoon history, the law is _not_ true justice. Trust us, as we were forced to trust in you earlier. Allow us menial humans to return the favor of you saving our lives."

"Doctor, not to butt in, but is he sweating? Do Judoon sweat? Why is he sweating? It's getting freezing in this dark…" Donna observed.

Realization seeped into the Doctor's brain.

"Oh yes, they sweat Donna, but only at times of extreme trouble. Only when they are in unspeakable danger. Literally, unspeakable. Surrounded by enemies. They've developed sweat glands that only act when a danger needs to be communicated to others. So To. Stop communicating, please."

The Doctor looked up to the top of the tower, where large cones rotated randomly. They started to rotate faster. He then turned his eye to the large speakers which probably had microphones implanted somewhere next to them or underneath. Finally, he gave one more desperate glance to the bright green dot in the sky that shouldn't have been there, and then rotated back to Donna and So To. He now wished he hadn't shouted earlier, and also wished the TARDIS translation matrix wouldn't work so dutifully.

Calmly, and quietly, the Doctor began to plan their escape. "So To. We'd like to go to the courthouse for our asylum. It's getting dark, so we'll sleep there and head out in the morning." The Doctor stated this slowly, hoping they both would catch on. He moved his hand near his left breast pocket.

"Negative. You leave now in your space craft."

The Doctor sighed, and nodded to Donna the true direction he wanted to head. "So To. We'd like to go to the courthouse please, help us, and," he breathed, "let us help you," The Doctor pleaded.

"Negative. Depart at once." So To started to twist and finally head back out toward his patrol when it happened. Lights began flickering on in each tower. In the top most rows exclusively. Not one Judoon dared exit their ships, but the movement had begun, and thanking all the stars in the nearby galaxy, the Doctor saw that So To had taken heed of this sign, because he halted at once and came back around.

"Courthouse," the Doctor said in response, lowering his eyes, hands upheld in pleading motions beckoning towards the opposite direction. It was beginning to get very dark, only a moderate shade of pale purple in the atmosphere.

"Courthouse," the Corporal repeated, finally obliging for all their sakes.

"Courthouse," echoed Donna, confused but not unaware that they were in peril, the level to which she could not ascertain at the moment.

As they began to walk, So To palmed his hip slowly and conspicuously. Donna could hear the creak of his leather as he did. The Doctor placed his hand in his left breast pocket and kept it there carefully as if holding his own left heart in place. Donna darted her eyes back and forth, hoping the slight change in her gate would not make her look suspicious.

The troop trudged on for 5 minutes, away from the opaque, menacing towers. More and more lights flickered on with each step. The team worked hard, silently, to quicken its pace gradually. It was exhausting, moving so fast but keeping one's muscles steady and smooth. It became difficult to peer into the distance, since buildings became scarcer and night continued to fall, though the residual sunlight in Jo Do's solar system had not yet completely receded behind the planet. Gravel converted to sand as they passed away into more open terrain. 10 minutes passed. It felt like hours to all 3 of them.

"Doctor," She whispered imploringly, "Please tell me the Judoon city planner was smart and kept the courthouse near the training academy."

"Courthouse 3.726 miles from current location."

"Thanks, Corporal."

"Negative, that was not me," noted So To, as they all heard multiple clicks and ruffles. The party slowly circled round to see who had spoke. Roughly 15 Judoon, clad with black leather, bulky helmets, and aiming firearms at all 3 of them, stood fixed in a semi-circle whose focal point was So To. The Corporal, however, was not looking at them. He was looking forward, his smaller but still frightful secondary weapon squared at Donna. The formation was tricky to make out, the sky black now, only a small amount of glow coming from distant moons and lights from a scant tower or two.

"How dare you," Donna hissed at So To, face contorted with rage. "We're hear risking our lives for you, could well have left you, and this is how you rep-"

"Silence, Donna." The purple-eyed Judoon growled.

The hefty Judoon in the center was the first to speak. "So To. Charge: Treason. Sentence, execution. Please lower your weapon," The officer ordered.

"Negative. Evidence limited," So To replied.

"Only one warning will be issued. Lower weapon, back away from human."

"Negative. Fire at me, I fire at human. Planet will be charged with murdering refugee."

"Negative. Judoon province free of blame. Rogue fires on girl, alone." Remarked the leader Judoon in the center, still aiming at So To.

"It is illegal to refuse exhausting all resource to save a religious hostage, as decreed article 1, section 18,Council of Mathis Justice Tribunal Alpha."

Another Judoon toward the end of the semi-circle spoke after a few moments silence. "Affirmative, Lieutenant. Criminal speaks correctly."

The Doctor spoke before the leader had a chance to find a new reason to kill them. "I recognize you," he said, speaking to the large Lieutenant, hand moving slightly in his breast pocket, hoping only a few of the heat rays were pointed at him, "you're So To's commanding officer aren't you? You interrogated us a few minutes ago. I'd like to issue you and your fellows an official warning."

All heads, even Donna's, as affronted as she was trying to remember to be, turned slightly toward him. He dared not move anywhere, sneakers rooted on the spot. However, he'd accomplished getting everyone's weapons snapped a fraction in interjecting on the scene, and in this moment his hand twitched again for a snip in his pocket.

"I'm aware this might not be the planet to say this, but I'm not really a fan of gunfire. Or guns. Or things with triggers that don't make funny noises really, I mean, what's the point? In any case, a death inducing device is being pointed at my friend. My best mate. And that irks me a good deal, Lieutenant." His tone became harder. "I'm going to give you one chance." His hand twitched in his pocket once more. "You've a busy day of genociding an entire section of the Judoon gene pool tomorrow." A few heads turned to one another, in confusion.

"Don't pretend like we all don't know. Let us go. Forget we were here. I know we will. None of your platoon, yourself included, get harmed. We all leave life and limb. But if So To's gun is forced on my friend much longer, I'll become irate. You don't want that, Lieutenant." The Doctor's head tilted down, his gaze brimming with malice.

The Doctor's warning was sized up by the Judoon for a moment. Silence stretched for a time. Suddenly, and in predictable delivery, it ended. "Warning irrelevant. Information stated inaccurate."

"Thought you'd say something to that tune. Well, darn, I guess we'll have t-"

"Melas Urej," the Lieutenant broke in. "That is So To's destination. Has he disclosed with you?" The Lieutenant enjoined.

"Melas Urej? Never heard of it," spoke Donna firmly.

"You think you are to rescue So To. So To manipulates you. So To escapes to Melas Urej. So To believes he deserves glory. Glory is found at Urej. But glory is no use to Judoon. It distracts from mission of justice. Justice brings glory to all, equally!"

Donna was lost. So To was silent. The Doctor concentrated.

"Melas Urej wouldn't be that funny little green spot up there would it?" The Doctor pointed up at it curiously, no one noticing a shining bit of metal in his hand. The Doctor wondered how the world's most used police force wouldn't have noticed him playing with it.

So To spoke. "Affirmative. Green planet Melas Urej. I have no desire to escape to that destination." The Doctor surveyed So To. Donna had no idea what the Doctor would do next. So To stayed perfectly still, like a statue. The Lieutenant spoke next.

"Liar. Commencing execution."

Abruptly, a high noise slashed through the tension in the cool night air. It was loud and screeching, like a robot toddler who'd just decided he was hungry. Hands flew to ears. Guns were dropped. Men and women fell to their knees. A blue light shone above someone's head. The Doctor stayed perfectly in position, right hand aloft. A familiar grinding noise initiated and met the high, techno-scream, as if answering it. The grinding was familiar and comforting to the refugees, foreign to everyone else. Donna and So To were pulled in close amidst the confusion, and soon there was only the console of the TARDIS to answer to for a moment.

The Doctor looked at the display screen on his ship. It showed Judoon firing at the door with heavy artillery. Some soldiers were heading back to get more firepower. The Doctor wasn't sure they'd have the technology to lock his machine in place at this point in Judoon history, but he didn't want to stay and find out, lest things evolved.

"Release me from vessel," demanded the ship's new guest.

"Negative," countered the Doctor, frowning.

The Judoon aimed his secondary weapon at him, and it dissolved instantly into thin air.

"No guns," Donna clarified.

"So, I could ask you questions all day while we fly through space. Nice evening stroll, it'd be really. But!" the Doctor said, looking crazed, moving about sporadically, "I'd much rather explore. With you at our disposal I'll eventually get all the information I need. We could have done this the easy way, you know." The Doctor was turning and pushing and pulling objects far apart from one another on his console.

Outside, Judoon acted quickly to root the giant blue carrier to the spot. They had a laser induced anchoring system on site within seconds. One more latch beamed and locked onto the container ought to do it. 20 seconds till lock on.

15 seconds.

Unbeknownst to the rhinos, turning, buzzing, and grinding began taking place in the ship that contained a dimension of space and time.

10 seconds.

The grinding and whirring could be heard outside now as Judoon mounts and anchors were almost fully powered.

5 seconds. Almost have them.

4\. 3. 2. 1.

Locked. "Begin extraction of captors," ordered an officer.

The ship jerked a little. That wasn't supposed to happen with the locked beams fully online. It jerked again. The grinding became louder. A race of beings that evolved, selectively and naturally, to become a perfect mercenary police force had a genetically feeble sense of dread. They continued to stare and work on extraction. If they had a stronger sense of dread, they would have foreseen, possibly, the following scene coming.

Bang! An anchoring beam and its source were destroyed. Heads turned and orders were barked ferociously. Bang! A second anchor producer destroyed, shrapnel flying into the Jo Do night. Sparks emanated. Helmets were thrown off. Shoving began. Tools flew up and down. Neural relays carried voices at the speed of radio waves containing requests and bequests. Panic trickled ever so subtly toward the commanding officers, a feeling unfamiliar for them and unequipped they were to handle it.

Boom! The TARDIS flew, not disappearing, not fading, but brilliantly elevating, broken free in mere seconds. It spun, almost out of control but not quite. It took a curved path over their bulbous heads. The Judoon had removed most fear out of their DNA painstakingly, but apparently the job had not been thorough enough. Some even went so far as to cower as the ship heaved about, as if it had a vengeful mind of its own. It thrashed violently over their helmeted and un-helmeted heads. The blue box gained speed, revved up more, grinded louder. It then burst upward into the night, hurtling toward a green spot in the sky.


End file.
